Walking in the garage and see Reid on the armchair with Tiff draped on his lap, he looks furious until he sees me, surprise colours his face, seems he didn’t expect me to come back. I ignore him and walk over to Sherri “Where did you go babe, I’ve been trying to call you” she asks while throwing daggers towards Reid “I went to dance for a while, but I’m fine now. Actually, I’m better than fine” I tell her with a smile on my face, I’m feeling empowered right now “I’ve decided I won’t let them run me out” I say with determination “I never thought you should anyway. You are our friend, you deserve to be here so much more than those skanks ever will” she says hugging me to her side, “Erg, the nerd is back I see” Tiff says from Reid’s lap, ignoring her I grab myself a drink and walk over to the stereo. Some chart girlie pop crap is playing, I’m guessing Tiff or Stacy’s choice. I connect my phone to it and put on Breaking Benjamin’s Failure, blaring it through the speakers “Hey! We were listening to that!” Tiff screeches “What is this shit?” Slutty Stacy asks, I turn to look at them “We don’t play your shitty pop music here. If you don’t like it, leave” I say as I walk back over to Brady and Sherri with a spring in my step. Sherri looks about two seconds away from pissing herself laughing, Gavin comes over and gives me a high five “Can’t stand that damn pop shit” he says with a smile “Excuse me little geek” Tiff says as she starts stroking Reid’s chest “We don’t like your shitty music, so maybe you should take your fat ass home so we can enjoy ourselves without you ruining our night” she spits. I smile so wide, little does she know, my mum has said far worse to me before. Nothing she says to me will ever compare to the shit I got from her, I’ve been called so much worse by my flesh and blood.
They expect me to cower and run, instead I turn to look at Reid, he looks miserable with Stacy on his lap as he looks up at me “You need to keep your bitch on a lead” I say to him, he looks at me with surprise. I’ve never stuck up for myself before, but all the hurt has finally given me the courage to know my worth “How dare you!” screams Tiff as she gets off Reid’s lap, he immediately grabs hold of her around the waist to hold her back “Do you know what I could do to you bitch” she spits bordering on the insane now “Wow, you’re one crazy bitch” Brady pipes up walking over “I’ll give you two choices, either apologise to Becks for what you said or get the hell out of my house” He says sternly, folding his arms over his chest while he waits for her answer “What! You’re taking this hippos side?” Stacy pipes up to defend Tiff “Okay that’s it, get out, both of you! I won’t have you be like that to her. I only tolerate you because Reid invited you and he’s my friend, but don’t think for a second that makes you mine” he says right to her face. Spluttering, Stacy huffs and stomps out the garage “Come on Reid, we don’t need them anyway. Let’s go back to my place, my parents aren’t at home” Tiff says in a sultry voice, I clench my fists so hard I feel my knuckles crack. Reid looks like he’s having an internal battle with himself as he looks at me, until Tiff adds “Or shall I get my phone out and show everyone what I’ve got?” Reid blanches and looks at her, if looks could kill Tiff would be a murder scene right about now, he can’t move fast enough as he mutters a goodbye and drags her out of the room. “What was that” Sherri echoes my very thoughts exactly, something is going on, I need to find out what.
The next day I’m determined to find out what Tiff was going on about, Reid looked at her like he couldn’t stand her last night, which makes no sense when he lets her feel him up and sit on his lap, So why does he have her around if he hates her? I get up early telling Sherri I’ve got errands to run, if errands mean forcing my ex to fess up, then sure.
Making my way over to Reid’s house, I see his black Golf in the drive. Good, he didn’t stay at Tiff’s last night, the knowledge makes me breathe a little easier. Walking up, I knock on the door, smoothing down my pretty yellow sundress, feeling more confident than I have in months. After a beat Reid answers dressed in low cut jeans, looking up I see he’s topless which isn’t helping my resolve to move on from him. He looks HOT, six pack doesn’t even do justice to this boy’s body, his hair is wet and flopping over his forehead. Arg now I’m imagining him in the shower, this is not what I need when I’m meant to be focused! “Beck’s! I didn’t know you were coming over” he says as he moves from the door to let me in. Walking through to the front room I sit on the sofa ready to hash this out. He saunters in, still shirtless, and plops himself down on the armchair opposite. I clench my thighs together to try and stop the ache I get from just looking at how his muscles bunch and move as he lounges in the chair “Where’s your mum?” I ask, trying to say anything other than for him to take me upstairs and I need him alone to ask these
